SHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR ESTABLISHING A PRIVATE SUBMARINE OPERATION

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PLANNING SUBMARINE INSTALLATION

Initial Considerations

The initial considerations to take into account for the support ship are its capability to hold and launch a private submarine. Manned submersibles are intrinsically heavy for their relatively small size and therefore close attention must be paid to where the private submarine is to be stored on the ship and how it will be launched and recovered. SEAmagine has various private submersible sizes and weights and often make modifications to help the integration of its private submarines onto a given ship.

CUSTOM SOLUTIONS

SEAmagine is well aware that a one size fits all is often not helpful for our clients regarding integrating a private submarine onto a given ship. We often make adjustments for our clients on the exact final dimensions, dry weight of a given submersible, and hoisting arrangement to help its integration onto a given ship. The adjustments on the final dimensions depend on determining which aspects, height, width, or length, are the limiting factors after which we can provide a comprehensive solution. The adjustment on the dry weight is often achieved by adjusting the maximum depth rating of a private submarine as deeper ratings involve an increase in its final weight. The adjustments we provide do not reduce fundamental performance characteristics of the private submarine.

OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

In addition to the launch and recovery system other aspects need to be arranged for establishing a successful private submarine operation. This include setting up a proper docking arrangements for the submersible once it is launched and thereby ensure it can handle difficult sea conditions. Also required is setting up a practical topside tracking configuration that acts as a control tower while the private submersible is underwater. During submersible dives, a topside support tender, or the mother ship itself need to be equipped with tracking and communication equipment that will follow the sub. SEAmagine provides a self-contained topside control station that can be hand carried aboard a tender transforming the tender into the control tower while the private submarine is underwater. Similarly, the topside control station can be integrated into the mother-ship’s main bridge.

SHIP REQUIREMENTS

WE DELIVER OUR SUBMARINES WITH THE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT NEEDED

SEAmagine includes with each private submarine all the specific support equipment required for a submersible and helps its clients to prepare the general setup requirements on the support ship itself. The following are some of the main items that need attention.

LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Traditional small submersibles over the years required passengers to board the sub while it was on deck and be launched to sea with people on board. SEAmagine is the initial company that pioneered new technology to allow a submersible to be stable at surface with a high freeboard, allow the private submarine to be launched unmanned as a regular tender and be boarded once the submarine is docked floating to the support ship. This key feature allows for launch and recovery of the submarines to be achieved without man-rated cranes and thereby greatly simplifies the setup requirements for the support ship, providing efficient operations for multiple dives during the day without the need to recover the sub back on deck between dives.

ELECTRICAL POWER REQUIREMENTS

The submersible battery charger will need either one 45 AMP breaker outlets with 220-240VAC/ 50-60Hz or two 25 AMP outlets if that is easier to configure for the ship. The private submarine battery charger is included with the submersible and is best installed within a 5 m – 9 m distance from the submersible storage location.

OXYGEN REQUIREMENT

There is no need for an oxygen generator to be onboard the ship. Typically, SEAmagine clients keep 6 spare O2 tanks which are Oxygen prepared 120 cuft Nitrox type tanks that can be held in storage on the ship. With six spare tanks the private submarine will have sufficient O2 for a few months (year) before they need to be refilled. The O2 spare tanks are stored similarly as NITROX scuba tanks. The spare O2 tanks would provide longer capacity than if the ship procured an O2 booster pump.

HIGH PRESSURE AIR COMPRESSOR

Typical scuba diving high pressure air compressor will be required on the ship to refill the tanks for ballast air on the submersible.